Method of and means for producing diagonal-cord fabric



Aug. 10 1926.

- E. INGHAM METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR PRODUCING DIAGONAL CORD FABRICS Filed April 29. 1 52 e Sheets-Sheet 1 av wewtoz 6M 1 Aug. 10,1926.

- E. INGHAM v METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR PRODUCING DIAGONAL CORD FABRICS Y Filed April 29 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 10 1926.

E. INGHAM METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR PRODUCING DIAGONAL CORD FABRICS Filed April 29, 1922 6 Sheets$heet 5 a wuenliw Aug. 10, 1926.

- E. INGHAM METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR PRODUCING DIAGONAL CORD FABRICS e Sheet sSheet 4 Filed April'29, 1922 F IL Aug. 10 1926.

E. INGHAM METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR PODUCING DiAGONAL CORD FABRICS Filed April 29, 1922 6 Sheets-sheet 5 avwenl oz Aug. 10 1926.

E. INGHAM METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR PRODUCING DIAGONAL CORD FABRICS v Filed April 29,1922 5 Sheets-Sheet e able I machine.

sheet of parallel,

Patented Aug. 10, 1926.

uirs stares FATE-T Fries.

IvEETI-IQD OF AND'MEAl'l-"S FOR PRODUCING DIAGONAL-CORD FABRIC.

Application filed April 29, 1922. Serial No. 557,428.

This invention relates to the tire making art,.and more particularly to the art of making so called cord tires. 7

in the manufacture of cord tires, .as commonly carried out at present there is employed a so caller fabric composed of a diagonally extending strands or cords held together by some adhesive material containing raw or unvulcaniaed rubber. Difi'erent 'manufacturers employ difierent rubber compositions and "crent methods of producing the bias cord fabric, but one common method consists in forming a sheet of longitudinally extending cords, and rubberizing or ffrictioning this sheet by means of a calender or other suit- The sheet of rubberized longitudinally extending cords is then fed through a bias-nutter, comprising a reciprocating knife or shear which severs from the sheet at each stroke a diagonally cut strip of the desired width and of a length fir equal to the diagonal width of the sheet. These sectional strips of bias fabric, all of the same length and width, are taken from the bias-cutter by hand, placed end toend and wound upon a roller, a protecting sheet being interposed between successive layers to prevent stickin There are several fundamental objections this methoch'however. In the first place, is not possible to thoroughly impregnate each cord with, and imbed it in the rubber compound by means of the frictioning or calendering process. Secondly, the bias fabric cannot be produced in indefinite lengths, but only in comparatively short sections, which must be subsequently pieced together. Thirdly, the method is a very expensive one by reason of the comparatively high cost of the calendering machine and the biascuter, and also by reason of the fact that. owing to the sticky or adhesive nature of V the fabric, it is necessary to maintain a sufnated iwith, and :embedd ficient number of workmen to grasp each section as it leaves the bias-cutter and wind it by hand on the roller, thus entailing a large labor :cost. 4 I

is general object of the present invention' is to provide an improved method of and means for manufacturing this rubberized bias cord fabric, andamong .the specifi-c objectsare to produce a. cord fabr c in which each cord is individually impreg- H i d. in the rubber sari which composition, to provide bias fabric may be continuously produced in. strips of uniform width and indefinite length, and to devise means for manufacturing such bias cord fabric with much greater rapidity and at much lower cost.

' These results I accomplish by first continuously forming a tubular fabric of diagonally extending rubberized cords and then splitting such tubular fabric at diametricale ly opposite points, so as to form twojsimistrips of flat bias fabric. lin order that the invention may be readily understood, reference ishad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of'this pecification and in which 1 is a side elevation of my improved cord fabric making machine, the winding mechanism being omitted.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through same, looking in a direction opposite to t in whichFig. 1 is taken, and parts being shown in elevation. V

3 is an endelevation of the machine looking toward that end shown at the left, in 2, and at the right in Fig. '1.

Fig. l is a plan view of the complete fabric making machine, including also the winding mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale through the winding arm itself.

Fig. 6 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the form or mandril on which the fabric is produced.

igx'? is an edge elevation thereof.

8 is a vertical longitudinal section through said form, parts being omitted.

Fig. 9 is a partial transverse section through the form on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional detail on an enlarged scale, showing the construction of the feed rollers.

11 is a perspective view showing the method in which the tubular fabric is split and wound upon the rollers; and

Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation of one of the take up rollers, illustrating how the protesting sheet is wound thereon. v a I Referring to the drawings in detail, my improved machine comprises a pair of verticalsideframes 1 and 2, held in parallel spaced relation, Projecting from the inside of these frames, at a suitable he i ht; are a pair of horizontally t n ng fl ges" p whichjis se i Ma ls. Qf. 1 y ..il?lP ?QY$?l w n-din "fol-m, ass-shown lIi'Fig; ache *m-et'hd of attachment preferably being by bolts passing through holes formed along the edges of the tail 4.

The form, which is designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 6, is of elliptical shape in cross-section, as indicated in Fig. 9, and is preferably made relatively thin and flat. It comprises a pair of edge strips or members 7 which are made as narrow as possible, and are secured to the tail 4, which extends throughout the length of the form, as shown in 8. Extending between the edge members 7 are inn r and outer pairs of curved plates 9 and 8, respectively, one member of each pair being posed above and one below the tail 4 and the plates 8 and 9 being separated to provide between themselves spaces 12 for the purpose hereinafter explained. The plates 8 constitute the outer surface or body of the form proper, about which the tubular fabric is produced. Extending longitudinally of each member 7 is a groove 7, and in this groove travels one run of an endless chain 10 or the like, the outer edge of the links of such chain being provided with serrations or saw teeth 11, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 9. The endless chains 11 pass around sprocket wheels 13 and 14, these wheels being journalled on studs, such as shown at 13" in Fig. 9, and mounted within the body of the form below the upper plate 9. Rigid with the sprockets 14 are pinions 15 which mesh with gears 16 and 17, these gears themselves being in mesh, as shown in Fig. 6, and the gear 17 having secured thereto a sprocket- 18, around which passes a sprocket chain 19. This chain 19 also passes over a sprocket- 20 secured to a stub shaft passing through the tail 4 and carrying on the lower side thereof a bevel gear 21. Meshing with the gear 21 is a similar gear 22 (see Figs. 2 and 3) carried by a shaft 23 journaled in the frame and having on its outer end a sprocket 24 (see Fig. 1) which is adapted to be engaged and driven by a sprocket chain 25. This chain passes over a sprocket wheel 26 at its lower end and a sprocket wheel at its upper end, the sprocket wheel 26 being rigid with a second sprocket 27 (see Fig. 3) around which passes another sprocket chain 28 to still another sprocket 29. The sprocket 29 is rigid with a gear wheel 30, both being mounted upon a stub shaft 30 adjustably secured in the frame 2, as shown in Fig. 2, and the tension. of the chain 28 may be regulated by means of an idler sprocket 31 carried by a swinging bracket 32. Adapted to mesh with the gear 30 is a gear 33, mounted on a shaft 33 journaled in the side frames 1 and 2, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4,.and serving to supply the power to operate all of the previously described mechanism, the gears 30 and 33 being pref The sprocket 34, above mentioned, is secured to a shaft 34 and is rigid with a sec ond sprocket 36, also mounted on said shaft.

A similar sprocket 35 is mounted on a shaft 35 and has rigid therewith a sprocket 37, also mounted on said shaft. As clearly shown in Fig. 1, the chain 25 is arranged to engage and drive both sprockets 34a'nd 35 and their associated mechanism, as well as sprocket 24. Around the sprockets 36 and 37 respectively, pass endless chains 38 and 39, and these chains also engage sprockets 40 and 41, secured to shafts 42 and 43 respectively, on which are rigidly mounted feed rollers 44 and 45, such shafts being journaled in the arms of U shaped yokes 46 and 47 respectively, such yokes being capable of swinging about the shafts 34 and 35 (see Fig. 2.) The shafts 42 and 43 also pass through arcuate slots 48 and 49 formed in the side frames around the shafts 34 and 35* respectively, as centers. From the above described construction, it will be obvious that the rollers 44 and may swin freely up and down the slots 48 and 49, an will be constantly driven in whatever position they may occupy. p

Each of the rollers 44 and 45 is preferably constructed as shown in detailin Fig. 10, and comprises a body portion 44" formed of wood or the like, and a sheet metal covering 44", this sheet metal covering being preferably punched out from the inside thereof to provide a plurality of upstanding prongs 44. Any other method of providing the rollers 44 and 45 with a roughened or gripping surface may be em ployed. A pair of rollers 50 and 51, having shafts 52 and 53 journaled in notches or seats 54 and 55 formed in the side frames 1 and 2, are mounted at one end of the machine, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. found on these rollers is a sheet or band of nonadhesive, relatively thin, textile material, such as muslin, suitably treated witht'alc or the like. These sheets or hands, as indicated at 56 and 57 in Fig. 2 are carried from the rollers 50 and 51 into and through the spaces 12 in the form 6, as shown in Fig. 9. The

band 56 passes through the upper space 12 Thiswinding mechanism h ing wires'with a rubber covering. suitable conditions, such,machmesinay be stantially .the same as that disclosed and claimed in my c0 pending application Sesecured tothe shaft 33 (see Figs. 3 and 4-.) Thus, power is suppliedfor driving the sprocket chains and feed rollers above de scribed.

Also secured to the shafttl is abevel gear 66, which meshes with a similar '67 secured to the end ofa shaft 68, su1t ably journaled and extending longitudinally of themachine between the side plates 1 and 2, as shown -in Figs. 1,2 and s.

The shaft 61 also carries a sprocket 69, which, by means of a sprocket chain 70, ar'l sprocket wheel .71, drivesthe winding arm 72. This ,windin arm is provided with a straight portion {2 to which the sprocket wheel 71 is securedand which is supported in suit-able journals, and a curved or off set portion 72 The arm is preferably hollow, as shown in 5, and v.hasfitted into the straight end thereof,- an inner tube or lining The end of this lining 73 adjacentthe bend in the arm, is provided with a nozzle T l which projects throughthe wall of the tubular arm. A nozzle 5 is also mounted in the free end of the arm to deliver the cord tothe form. 'The cord is designated at 77 and enters therear end of the tube 73. After passingthrough this tube,it is thread- .ed through the nozzle 'Mand is then led through an opening 76 in the wall of the windingarm into and through the delivery nozzle 75. Although I regard this asthe preferred method of threading the cord, it

:may, if desired, becarried entirely within the hollow arm 72. The method shown, however, facilitates the cleaning out of the winding arm and nozzles.

Before the cordv passes into the Winding arm, I propose to thoroughly rubberize it or impregnate it witha rubber compound. ,Tliis may be readily accomplished by well known machines of thetype used for. coat- Under adjusted to thoroughly impregnate and coat the-. cordwith raw rubber eompouno, so that the cord, when it passes into and hroug the Wi ing a m, s o a use eky e adhesiv iit t o t te se it is necessary to provide the nonadhesive sheetsorbands, above described, to protect the cord fabric as it-is formed.

Assum ng that the parts are assembled as shown in l, with the bands or sheets 56 and 57 substantially covering the upper and lower surfaces of the form 6, we proceed to consider the winding operation. As shown, the arm 72 is set with its axis at an angle of substantially 45 to the axis of the form 6, although an 7 other angle may be employed. as the arm 72 is rotated by the motor 59, it will, of course, wind the cord on to and around the form 6, as described in my above mentioned co-pending application. In the present case, however, the chains 10 are provided at each side of the form to positively hold and feed the accumulated cords along the form, and as each convolut on is laid, it engages one of the notches or teeth 11, formed in the chains l0. In this way, all possibility of slipping 1s prevented and the successive convolutions are positively held in position. At the same time, the chains 10, through the gearing described, are caused totravel along at such a speed that :the accumulated turns are moved a distance just equal to the diameter of the cord for every revolution of the winding arm. Thus, as each successive convolution is laid, it comes practically into contact with the preceding convolution, with the result that the accumulated turns of cord adhere to each other. to form a tubular cord structure, which continuously travels along as additional turns are added. It will be understood that the sheets or bands 56 and 57 travel along with the tubular cord structure and are eventually wound with the cords upon the take up rollers, as will be hereinafter described.

In order to remove the tubular cord structure from the form as it travels to aid the fixed end thereof, 1t 1s, of course, necessary to split or slit the tubular cord structure longitudinally. Instead of splitting it at only one po nt, however, as has previously been proposed in the production of tubular fabrics, I split my improved tubular cord structure at two diametrically opposite points, thus dividing it into two similar flat along, itis slit at-a point adjacent .eachedge member '1' of theform so as to produce-upper andj-lowerstrips of'flat biascord fal m c, shown in Figs. 2 and 11.

n s ide to re e and. star these fi strips of bias cord fabric :as they are proagainst the material on the travel in these duced, I provide take up rollers 78 and 79,

- of the feed rollers at and which :trictionally engage the material wound upon the take-up rollers and thus impart rotation to said rollers. in this way, the speed of take up or winding is maintained constant, regardless of the varying size of the roll of material which accumulates on the take-up rollers. The feed rollers 1 1 and 15 are held in engagement with the material accumulating on the take-up rolls by means of one or more counterweights, such as 101, secure to a cable 98 passing over a pulley 100, carried by the yoke 16 and secured to the other you-e a as indicated at 99. En ordr to sustain the thrust ot the teed rollers 4: 1 and 15 take-up rollers, idler rollers 82 and 83 are provided mounted on shafts 8 1 and 85, which shafts bear against the ends of the areuate slots as and 19. The shafts and 81, of course, also slots as the take-up rolls build up and these latter shafts can be withdrawn axially through such SlOJS so as to permit tne ready removal of the take-up rolls.

Owing to the fact that the cords 77 extend around the edges of the form, while the sheets Or bands 56 and 5'? lie only on the comparatively flat upper and lower surfaces of the storm, it is obvious that when the tubular cord structure is slit at opposite points to produce fiat diagonal cord strips, such strips will necessarily be wider than the bands 56 and 57. This is shown in Fig. 11 and from an inspection of this figure, it will be seen that the ends of the cords project beyond the protecting band 56. In order, therefore, to completely cover the adhesive cords and prevent successive layers from sticking together, as the bias strips are wound upon the take-up rollers, I have con ceived the idea of providing a second protecting sheet or band, and of making this second band of the "full width of the cord fabric. This second protecting sheet 0': band, which is designated at and 91, is wound upon upper and lower rollers 92 and 93, carried on shafts 94; and 95, supported in seats 96 and 97, formed in the side frames 1 and 2.

The method of winding the several strips and sheets, in order to secure the desired re sults, will be clear from an inspection of Figs. 11 and 12. The wide sheet or band 90 is first given a low turns around the take-up roller 78, so as to provide a nonadhesive surface to receive the cord fabric. the narrow sheet or band 56 is then also given a turn around, or otherwise secured to the roller 78, so as to start it, and then as the cord fabric is produced and travels along The end of witn the sheet 56, it will be wound upon the roller 78 between the two sheets 56 and 90 (or 57 and 91, as the case may be). As clearly shown in Fig. 11, the cord tabric is wound upon and over the wide sheet while the narrower sheet 56 is superposed upon the cor-d fabric. Thus, the adhesive cord fabric strip is rolled upon the take-up roller continuously, and is automatically interposed between the two protective sheets as it is wound, the wider sheet extending the full width of the adhesive fabric and protecting the ends which project beyond the narrower sheet. In this way, the projecting ends of successive layers of the cord fabric are pre vented from sticking together.

lt will be understood that when asutticient amount of material has accumulated on atalce-up roll, the roll is removed from the machine and placed in a suitable rack for the use of the tire makers, and it is obvious that strip of bias fabric of any length re 1 ui red by the tire makers may be readily unwound irom the roller and cut oil as it is applied to the tire form.

While usually it is possible to lay the convolutions oi"- cord closely enough togeth r on the form to cause them to properly adhere, it may, in some cases, be desirable to provide means for beating up successive turns and forcing th m into close contact. This, 1 accomplish, by means of the following mechanism. I provide a beater or pusher in the nature of a pair otthin plates or bars 102, curved to conform to and closely hug the upper and lower surfaces of the storm 6, and extending in a plane at right angles to the axis of the winding arm, as shown in Fig. 1. These bars 102 are connected at their ends by cross-bars 103, working through slots 104, formed at the dges of the plates 8, adjacent the members 7. Lugs 105 projecting inwardly from the cross-bars 103, are connected by a tie bar 106 (see Fig. 9) and to this bar 106 is attached one end of a pair oi. operating rods 107, which extend longitudinally of the form and are slidably supported in guides 108 (see Fig. '7) secured to the under surface of the tail 1. The free end of the rods 107 are connected to a cross head 109 (see Fig. 6) which carries a depending eye 110,'to which is pivoted one end of a bell crank lever 111 (see Fig. 2) pivoted at 112 and connected at its other end with avertical push rod 113. This rod slides through a fixed bracket 116 and is surrounded near its lower end by a helical spring 115 which bears at one end on the bracket 116 and at the other end against a collar 11%, secured to the rod 113. This spring tends to force the rod 113 downwardly and to shift the operating rods 107 and beater 102 toward'theright, as viewed in Fig. 2, or toward the left, as viewed in Figs. 4, 6 and 7. -i

The lower end of the rod 113 is pivoted,

at 117 to a lever 11 8 pivoted at 119 to a fixed support-and having its free end 120 disposed in the path ofa cam 121 secured to the shaftgGS, It will thus be seen that at each revolu on of the shaft 68, the cam 121 will depress the end 120 of lever llS and thus raise rod 113, swinging the bell crank lever 111 to theleft, as viewed in F' 9 and forcing the beater as viewed in ig. a thus causing it to firmly press the end convolution into close contact with the others. The shaft 68 and winding arm 72ers preferably so timed that the heater 102 makes one stroke for each revolution of the winding arm, and the angular relation of the parts ispreferably such that the operative or beatin up stroke occurs during'the time that the winding arm is traveling around the edge of the form, so

that-each convolution is beaten up after it is laid. i

It will thus be seen that I have provided means by which a previously rubberized cord can be continuouslyformed into a tubular structure having diagonally extending strands, and whereby such tubular structure may. be slit to produce strips of flat bias cord fabric of uniform width and indefinite length, suitable for use in forming tire carcasses, and itis thought that the niany advantages ofmy improved method of producing such bias fabric will be readily appreciated by those familiar with the art to which the invention relates.

What I claim is 1. Tlrenjiethod offojrmi'nga cord fabric which consists in winding a single rubberized cord continuously around a fixed straight form and over a non-adhesive protecting sheet supported on said form, successive turns of said cord being laid close together and in substantial contact throughout their length and adhering to each other but not to said sheet, feeding the adhering convolutions and said sheet along the form as successive turns of the cord are laid, splitting the resulting tubular cord structure longitudinally to obtain a flat fabric, and winding up such fabric and said sheet together onto a reel.

2. The method of foii'ining a cord fabric which consists in winding a rubberized cord continuously around a fixed form and over a non-adhesive protecting sheet supported on said form, successive turns of said cord be ing laid close together and adhering to each other but not to said sheet, feeding theadhering convolutions and said sheet along the form as the cord is laid, splitting the tubular cord structure longitudinally to ob tain a flat fabric, superposing a second nonadhesive sheet upon the cord fabric, and winding both of said sheets, with the cord fabric between them, onto a reel.

:3 102 toward the right 'lat-ter travels along.

3. The combination with a fixed straight form, of means for continuously winding a single cord therearound, means for causing adjacent turns of the cord to remain substantially in contact throughout their length, means for feeding the accumulated cord along the form as successive convolutions re laid, and'means for slitting the resulting tubular structure to produce a flat strip of cord fabric.

4. The combination with a fixed straight form, of means for continuously winding a single cord therearound in a plane at an acute angle to the LXlS'Of the, form, means for causing adjacent turns of the cord to remain substantially in contact throughout their length, means for feeding'the accumulated turns of cord along the form, as successive convolutions are laid, and means for slitting the resulting tubular structure to produce a flat strip of diagonal cord fabric.

5. The combination with a fixed hollow form, of a non-adhesive sheet or band, and

means for causing, said sheet or band totravel through said form from one end to the other end thereof, andthence back along and neansfor continuously winding successive convolutions of adhesive cord around said form and onto said sheet or band as the (S. The combination with a fixed hollow form, of a non adhesive sheet or band, and inean's'for causing said sheet or band to travel through said form from one end to the other'end thereof, and thence back along and over the outer surface of said form, means for continuously winding successive convolutions of adhesive cord around said form and onto said sheet or band as the latter'travels along, and means for slitting the resulting tubular cord str cture, but not the sheet or band.

7. The combination with a form, of means for continuously Winding adhesive cord therearound, means for interposing between the cord and form a non-adhesive sheet,

means for feeding the sheet and accumulated turns of cord overlying the same along the form as successive convolutionsare laid, means for slitting the resulting tubular structure to produce a flat strip of cord fabric, means for winding said strip and sheet on a take-up roll, and means for superposing on said strip of fab-ic and winding with it on said roll a second non-adhesive protecting sheet.

8. That improvement in the art of preparing adhesive cord fabrics for use in the manufacture of tire carcasses, which consists in producing a strip of such fabric of indefinite length, supporting such strip on anon-adhesive sheet, Winding said sheet and strip together on a roller as fast as the latand over the outer surface of said form,-

ter is produced, and superposing upon said strip a second non-adhesive sheet of greater width than the first as the strip is wound.

9. That improvement in the art of preparing adhesive cord fabrics for use in the manufacture of tire carcasses, which consists in producing a strip of such fabric of indefinite length, supporting such strip on a non-adhesive protecting sheet of less width than the strip, winding said sheet and strip on a roller as fast as the latter is produced, and superposing upon and winding with said strip a second non-adhesive protecting sheet the full width of said strip.

1.0. The combination with a fixed, straight elongated form, of means for winding a single adhesive cord continuously therearound, means for causing adjacent turns of the cord to remain substantially in contact throughout their length, whereby such adjacent turns adhere to each other, means for feeding the accumulated cord alon the form b as successive convolutions are laid, and means at opposite sides of said form for slitting the resulting tubularstructure at two points, whereby two separate strips of flat cord fabric are produced.

11. The combination with a fixed form, relatively thin and wide in cross-section, of means for continuously winding adhesive cord therearound with adjacent turns in contact throughout their length, means for continuously feeding the accumulated convolutions along the form, and cutters located one adjacent each edge of the form, for slitting in two places, the tubular structure re sulting from the adhesion of the cord con volutions, whereby two separate similar strips of cord fabric are produced.

12. The combination with an elongated form, of means for continuously winding a single cord therearound in a fixed plane at an acute angle to the axis of the form, with successive turns in contact throughout their length, holding elements mounted on the form at opposite sides thereof, with which holding elements each diagonal turn of cord engages as it is laid, and means for moving said holding elements at the same speed longit dinally of the form, whereby the accumulated convolutions are progressively fed along as the cord is laid.

13. The combination with an elongated form, of means for continuously winding cord around the same in a fixed plane, means for feeding the accumulated turns along the form, as they are wound, and means movable longitudinally of the form for pressing each successive convolution into close cont-act with the preceding convolution.

let. The combination with a form, of means for continuously winding adhesive cord around the same in a fixed plane, meansmoving parallel with the surface of the form and operating p :iodically as each convolution is laid, for pressing it into close'contact with the preceding convolution, whereby all of said convolutions are caused to adhere, and means for feeding the resulting tubular cord fabric structure progressively along the form.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EMANUEL INGHAM. 

